


Type?

by Hopekook16



Category: VIXX
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 03:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14926526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hopekook16/pseuds/Hopekook16
Summary: VIXX Neo/LeoN fluff. High school students AU.





	Type?

It was strange, the way we became friends.

I never thought that you and I would ever get along.

We are so different and yet I was exposed to your true nature and fell into a complete abyss of happiness and surprises. You attitude was a setback that I had to face first before we could even talk about what we would like to eat.

Just the thought of us being friends just makes me smile in embarrassment for all the things that we faced when we were younger. Yet, here we are: now sitting together in the same entertainment company.

You have been working on the same paperwork for a while now, biting down on the pen that I lent you just twenty minutes ago. A bad habit of yours that you haven’t grown out of. Your face is contorted in concentration at whatever you were reading. Just like two minutes ago, your eyes lit up in excitement when you finally understood what you were reading. You wrote something down on the notepad that you always carry around.

You looked at me all of a sudden and smiled when you noticed that I was staring. You laughed under your breath, making sure not to catch the attention of the people walking outside of the office space.

“You keep staring,” you said smiling. You placed the pen down and rested your head on your arm. “Why?"

“Do you remember when we first met?” I asked you. You raised an eyebrow at the question but your smile was still there.

“Of course I do,” you stated. I smiled when the warmth in your eyes was directed at me. You were acting cute, that much I could tell but for some reason I couldn’t force myself to stop acting in such a way, instead I just kept smiling and stood up, picking up my cup of coffee and my own paperwork.

“Are you done with your work?” I changed the subject.

“Hmm, almost. I just have a few more things to memorize and I’ll be done,” you explained. I just nodded before patting your arm and making my way out of the office. “Are you leaving?”

“For a bit, yes. I have an appointment that I need to go to but it won’t take long. Maybe like an hour: you think you’ll be done by then?"

“I think so. I’ll see you in the lobby then?” you turned around to show me your puppy eyes. There was no need for them since you always had your way with these types of thing.

“Sure. See you in an hour, Hakyeon,” I waved, leaving the room with a “Bye, Leo-ah,” following behind.

“Our first meeting, huh?” Hakyeon asked himself, resting his head on the table. “What a childish fool,” Hakyeon giggled to himself think of the past.

////////////////

It was the middle of the spring semester: the sun was trying to kill every citizen walking on the street to work, school, or even home. Everyone was sweating to the point that you thought someone was bound to get heat stroke. Especially the children making their way to school.

The uniforms making it hard for any of them to be excited of seeing their classmates again. Most of them were suffering from lack of sleep and the sun was just making it worse. For Leo, this was the main reason has why he wished they never moved back to Seoul.

He was starting the semester in a new district school where he would know no one. He was against the idea of moving to Seoul since the begging of his third year of high school, objecting it with all his might. Yet, his parents had the support of his older sisters so he had no choice.

Now here he was, slowing making his way down the narrowed hallways filled with students of every age. His class couldn’t be any farther from the main entrance of the school and he was now regretting taking the art class as an easy way out. The kids in the hallways were talking and laughing loudly even though they were all suffering just minutes ago in the middle of the heat. He tried his best not to catch the attention of anyone for now, since he didn’t know if the kids here treated outsiders nicely or not.

When he could finally catch sight of ‘Room 2-4’ in the distance, he let out a sigh of relief and sped up his pace. He opened the room door and was met with a bunch of rowdy kids laughing and chatting their asses off. He made his way to the back of the room and noticed a couple of seats that were not claimed by colorful bags. He sat down on the desk that was located near the door and placed his bag on it.

He looked around and noticed that some people were staring at him for a brief moment before choosing to ignore him and keep talking. It was normal behavior, he noticed. When people would look at him, they would notice his resting bitch face before they could notice the shifting hand movement he was doing under the desk.

“Okay everyone, settle down,” came the voice of an older man as he placed his books in the teacher’s desk. “Okay, everyone, welcome back to another year of ‘fun’ learning,” the teacher faked cheered in front of everyone in the class. “I would like to congratulate you all for making it to the second year of you high school life, but I would also like to remind all of you that your college entrance exams are just around the corner.”

There were groans around the room from soulless students. The teacher looked like he could care less and continued explaining the course.

“Okay, as you already know, my name is Professor Kim,” some of you already had me for Art I and are just continuing to Art II because you found out that I don’t really care about the grading system when it comes to this course. My main study when I became a teacher is math, so for some of you, I will also be your math teacher, so yes. You will be able to see the lazy and outgoing bipolarity of my teaching methods.”

The students acknowledged the information and continued to listen to the professor. Some were already asleep just four minutes into the class and Leo wished he was one of them.

“On exciting news, we all have a new classmate, so please make him feel welcome,” the professor read from a paper in his desk before looking up again. “Jung Taekwoon, please stand up.” Leo did as he was told and stood up from his desk, he bowed slightly at the teacher and his classmate before sitting down. “Nice, okay kids. That is all the news I have for today. As you guys know, starting from today you have to finish four basic paintings, two essays, one group painting, and two final presentations before the end of the semester, so don’t slack off. Please don’t make my job difficult.”

The students just agreed with him and he nodded at them.

“Good. Now everyone please start drawing or painting or whatever. I’ll be sitting on my desk if you guys need anything, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” the class said in unison before a flock of kids stood up and starting moving desks around. Leo was shocked to see that they were moving the desks just to be able to sit next to each other and keep talking. Some of the kids were already chatting before the professor could even finish his speech.

Leo noticed that some students were actually drawing at the moment, others were even painting. Leo on the other hand had no idea what to do. He was only taking this course because he heard rumors that the class was super easy. He didn’t even know how to draw.

He just took out a notepad and a pencil and started doodling on it. There was no point in socializing if people were not even attempting to even acknowledge his existence. He was drawing, what he presumed was a flower, when he noticed a desk was being placed in front of his, when he looked up he noticed a guy smiling at him.

He was dumbstruck as to why someone was sitting in front of him, especially a foreign looking kid. Before he could even voice out his confusion there was more desks being placed around him by even more boys. Baffled, Leo could only stare at them before they all sat down and were greeting him with ‘hellos.’

“Taekwoon, right?” the foreign looking dude asked him. Leo nodded in return and the guy smiled. “Nice to meet you. My name is Jaehwan but all my friends call me Ken.”

“Hello,” Leo bowed his head. “My name is Taekwoon but most of my old friends used to call me Leo.”

“Well then, I’ll call you Leo then and you can call me Ken. It is easier to remember. Right, Ravi?” Ken smiled at the boy sitting directly next to him. The guy nodded but Leo didn’t hear him talk. “Leo this is Wonshik, aka Ravi. He doesn’t allow for anyone to call him Wonshik except for hyung.”

“Hey,” Ravi nodded but kept looking at his phone.

“Oh and this is Hyuk!” Ken patted at the boy sitting on his left. “He’s the only freshmen in this class. The nerd.”

“Okay, first of all, I got into this class by luck,” Hyuk crossed his arms and pouted. “Second of all, it’s not my fault I’m smarter than you.”

“What grade level are you, Leo?” Ken chose to ignore Hyuk’s comment to get some information out of Leo.

“I’m a third year,” Leo answered, still feeling a little awkward around the kids sitting with him.

“That’s kind of late to move to a different school, don’t you think?” Hyuk asked, moving to get into art supplies out of his bag.

“Tell that to my family,” Leo murmured but Ken and Hyuk still laughed at his remark.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. You’re here now,” Ken voiced. “So, why did you chose art class? Are you the same as Ravi?”

“What?”

“Easy pass.”

“Ah, sort of. I really suck at art, so I wanted to at least learn a bit,” Leo confessed. Ravi nodded in agreement before placing his sketch pad and a pouch of pencils.

“Well, you should know that this class is an advanced class, so is free for all. Everyone here is from all different grade levels. Hyuk being the youngest as a freshman. Ravi is a second year and I’m a third year like you.”

“There is two people missing from our group,” Ravi pointed out. His voice caught Leo by surprise, it was deeper than he thought it would be. “Hakyeon hyung and Hongbin haven’t arrived.”

“You know they’re always late because of club activities,” Ken assured him. “Oh yeah, Hongbin and Hakyeon hyung are friends of ours, you should get to know them if you want to be good at art.”

“Why is that?” Leo asked.

“Hongbin is an art photographer and Hakyeon is really good at painting and sketching designs,” Hyuk stated, already drawing something out in his pad. “They taught me how to draw when I was in middle school.”

“Professor Kim! Good morning!” Leo jumped in shock at the intrusion of a loud voice. He looked up and noticed two kids enter the class at the same time. Both of them bowed at the teacher and made their way towards them. Leo noticed that some of the girls in the class were staring at them both when they walked next to them.

Ken waved at them before standing up and hugging the shorter one of the two. Ravi was talking to the other one before he sat next to him. Leo noticed that Hyuk was trying to get the attention of the kid talking to Ken but the other was staring directly at Leo.

Leo was surprised but bowed his head when the other smiled and bowed at him first.

“Who’s this?” the guy asked Ken and the other smiled at him before sitting down.

“This is Leo. He’s the new transfer student. He’s a third year like you and me.”

“Ah~, hello Leo. My name is Cha Hakyeon but you can call me N,” the boy bowed again before placing his bag down and sitting on the desk next to him and Ravi. “What’s your name?”

“Jung Taekwoon,” Leo bowed his head lightly at him before looking at Ken. Leo thought that the trio were good looking, but Hakyeon and the other boy, whom Leo presumed was Hongbin were stunning. They almost looked like models.

“Well Leo, nice to meet you,” N smiled again before looking at Hongbin. “Sorry, I almost forgot. This is Hongbin. He’s a little shy so he comes off as rude, but don’t worry, he’s a nice guy.”

Leo looked at the boy who was looking at N with such a bitch face, but when he noticed that Leo was giving him his attention, he bowed at him and smiled slightly before turning to talk to Ravi.

“Nice to meet you,” Leo reciprocated.

After their meeting, Leo was included into every conversation that the group of boys had. He even exchanged numbers with all of them and found out that Hakyeon was the class president for the third years.

Apart from art class, Leo had class with Ken and N at different times. He had Ken for P.E. and science class while having math and English with N. He learned quickly that Ken just looked smart but needed extra classes when it came to English and science. N on the other hand was a different story.

Leo could only describe N as born genius. He was first in all of his classes. Ace every math exam and science experiment. He was also first place for essay competitions and was chosen as class president because he was nice to everyone and was respected by all the teachers.

Leo for some reason couldn’t get over the fact that there was something about N that he just didn’t like. For some reason, N just seemed completely fake to Leo. He was always smiling and showing off when it came to art projects. He would also get clingy when it came to his closes friends. He would usually hang out only with girls instead of hanging out with his friends.

Leo just didn’t voice out his discomfort for the way that N would act.

It was almost as if N wasn’t himself.  
And then Leo had an opportunity to talk to N about his discomfort about his attitude.

~

Leo was in his second semester on his new school. He had been able to socialize more than in his previous school. He even was able to make friends with fourth year students, something that he was not able to do in the past. If he was going to thank someone for being able to do so, he would have to thank N.

Hakyeon was the one that introduced him to the soccer caption Choi Minho, got him to go to tryouts and was even able to get a recommendation for Professor Kim so that he could join that soccer team. Hakyeon was also the one that was able to get him to join the choir and music club after catching him singing on his way home.

Leo was kind of stupefied of how many times N was able to catch him doing any of his favorite hobbies. N was the one that caught him staring that the soccer team playing, he was the one that caught him playing with a soccer ball in an empty soccer field.

Leo was getting a little annoyed at how nosy N was. Yet, he didn’t want to destroy a friendship over something pitiful as that. It’s just that for Leo, N still seemed completely fake to him.

There was one time that Leo was passing by Hongbin and N’s P.E class. He was able to hear their conversation but what he heard was just N praising himself and sassing Hongbin.

“Did you see that jump? I was pretty amazing, right? Did you see me? Huh?” N was circling around Hongbin who in return was just looking at him with a resting bitch face. Hongbin sighed and moved to walk away but N grabbed his sleeve and pouted at him.

Hongbin was trying to shake him off, even placing a hand on N’s face to forcefully remove him. But N was still pouting at him, once in a while kissing the hand on his face to make Hongbin remove it from his face.

Leo was completely disgusted by N’s self-centered attitude and his overly affectionate way of showing his love for people. Those were just some of the things that he didn’t like about the other but he still kept to himself.

That was until one day Leo was trying to be alone to play the piano that he started to hear the high pitched laugh of the other. Leo was already in a bad mood, he failed his math exam only to have N shove his perfectly scored test on his face and making fun of the other.

Leo just kept playing the piano even louder. Banging on the keys even faster. He was trying to fade out that annoying laugh but it was only getting louder. Leo was trying to keep his composure, breathing in and out slowly while trying to keep his cool about the whole situation.

After a while, Leo noticed that the laugh had disappeared and it was silent outside of the practice room that he was located in. Leo let out a breath of relief and focused once more on the piano. He chose to play Nocturne to help keep him calm. He was able to get half way through the piece before the door of the practice room was opened with such brute force that it made a loud sound ricochet through the room.

“Leo-ah!” N smiled at him, jumping around the room and sitting next to the other, getting to close for Leo’s comfort. Leo was able to provide the other with a small smile of his own but moved away from the other.

N noticed the movement but chose not to say anything about it. Instead, he opt to wrap his arm around the other and placed his head on the broad shoulder. N really liked Leo’s body, wishing he had a body like his: Leo on the other hand felt completely uncomfortable with the whole situation.

He was still mad at the other for being so self-centered and egoistic. Ken and Hyuk always said that N was always selfless and polite to everyone that he met, but Leo was not been able to see that side of him since they met during the first semester.

“Hey,” Leo replied. They stayed silent for a while before N moved away and let go of his arm, noticing the tense muscles under his touch. He let it go and chose to make conversation with him instead.

“What are you up to?” N asked, touching the piano keys gently, the noise barely audible.

“Practice,” Leo stated.

“Hmm,” N nodded, turning to look at the other. “You know, when I was younger I used to play the piano as well. My mom said that it was important for all people to learn art so she wanted me to play the piano.”

“That’s nice,” Leo quipped.

“I bet I can play just as good as you can if I practiced for a few months. You know, Leo, I always thought you would be a pretty quiet guy but most of the seniors are telling me that you are quiet the vocal guy.”

“N.”

“You should thank me for presenting you to them. If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have been friends with them.

“Hakyeon.”

“Ah, did I tell you? I came in on first for the English exam. You want to compare your score to mine? Don’t be shocked to notice that my grade is better than yours, I have to do good to be able to afford-“

“Just shut up already!” Leo banged the piano keys with his fist, the action itself made Hakyeon jump in surprise. “God, why the hell are you so annoying? I can’t believe I became friends with someone so loud and obnoxious. Don’t you ever shut up?” Leo was glaring at him by now, letting out his frustrations on N.

N was just looking at him: his eyes went from saucers out of shock to its normal size after hearing Leo. He looked down at his hand that was still on the piano and lowered it down to place it on his leg. “I didn’t think you thought of me that way.”

“Well, I do. You are so annoying sometimes. Always seeking for attention and getting clingy with everyone. It’s getting on everyone’s nerve. I can’t believe you never noticed how frustrated everyone feels when they are around you."

N was still looking down at his lap, not once looking up to see the look of disgust in Leo’s face. N knew that what Leo just said was true. He was clingy and sometime he would seek attention a bit too much. But, that’s just the way that he was. There was nothing special about the way he acted, it was just a part of his life. Yet, he knew that some people felt that way about him.

They would smile at him, asking him for favors, but he would still help them out, knowing full well that they were just using him. But he thought different of the boys that he hanged around with. Hongbin and Ravi were the first to talk to him first during elementary school. Then he met Ken and Hyuk later on whom were always glad to joke around with him and play pranks with each other.

He thought that Leo was also like them, so that’s why he acted like he normally did with the others. Yet, here is was, listening to Leo tell him how much he didn’t like him.

He felt himself be in the brink of tears, so instead of listening to Leo’s discomfort, he stood up, apologized, bowed, and left the room. He ran as fast as he could to the dormitories located just two blocks away from the school. As soon as he reached his room, he locked his room and threw himself to his bedroom. He cried harder than he ever did before. He cried even harder than he did when his mother left him behind in Korea so she could remarry to a man back in Japan.

He cried all his frustrations out all throughout the night in the middle of a solitary dorm.

~

The next day, when Leo made his way towards art class he was greeted by Ken and Ravi whom seemed out of it. He noticed that Hyuk wasn’t in class and he turned to ask Ken about it.

“Hyuk was voted a vice-president for the freshmen class. He’s going to start his duties today, so he’s with Hongbin and N,” Ken stated. “N must be really proud of him.”

“What do you mean?” Leo asked.

“N stayed up for two days straight to help Hyuk with all the promotional posters and his candidate speech,” Ravi pointed out. “The guy must be tired beyond his mind but he always finishes his homework and projects all the time.”

“Yeah, it must be tiring to work so hard just to be able to keep a scholarship,” Ken added.

“Scholarship?” Leo was confused. “N is in a scholarship?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you know?” Ken asked him. “N is one of the five kids in this school that are in a scholarship. He really is working hard to be able to get a full scholarship for his last year.”

“It must be tough to have to work and come to school at the same time,” Ravi nodded, looking at his phone before frowning. “Hongbin sent a message through the group chat,” he stated.

“Hm, what about it?” Ken asked. Leo grabbed his phone to look at the chat and he frowned at the message.

N-hyung isn’t coming to school for a couple of days - Bean

He has a family issue and is going to take off for two weeks - Bean

Does anyone know anything? – Hyuk

“What the hell?” Ken was reading the messages through Ravi’s phone and stands up. “Do you know anything?” He looked at Ravi who in return shook his head.

“He didn’t mention anything.”

“Damn it,” Ken pouted. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall, contemplating if he should just skip class and go see what N was up to.

“He would really hate it if you skip class, you know?” Ravi pointed out, knowing full well what the other was thinking.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I’ll just go after class,” Ken murmured. Leo just stayed quiet and looked down at his phone to notice that Ravi was sending messages through the chat group.

Does this have anything to do with his mom? – Ravi

He didn’t mention anything – Bean

I’m going to his room after the meeting to see if he is still there – Bean

I’m going too – Hyuk

N is going to kill you if you skip class - Bean

Ken, please make sure that Hyuk does arrive to class. - Bean

You know that N hates it when Hyuk skips class. – Bean

Roger that – Ken

If you do get in touch with him, tell him to answer his phone – Ravi

Okay – Bean

Taekwoon looked at the message and thought to himself if this was his fault. His parents always said that honesty was the best policy but that he would sometimes said some hurtful things. He was able to notice his own mistakes, but he still felt frustrated every time he thought about N’s attitude and the way that he carried himself.

He closed his phone and placed it inside of his bag, picking up his pencil and canvas, starting to draw the first project of the semester. He was a bit weird how Ken and Ravi looked concerned about N playing hooky. It wasn’t like he was the first student to skip class like this. Leo raised the volume of his music player and chose to ignore to continuous vibrating of his phone.

Ken whispered something to Ravi, the other only shaking his head before looking at the front door. Ken was pouting, his leg shaking as he was impatiently waiting for first period to finish. Leo just closed his eyes for a while before starting to draw his landscape. He still sucked so much at it but he got better thanks to the help of Hongbin and N.

Now the teacher was able to tell if he was drawing a dog or a tree. He groaned and took off his earpiece, shoving his hand into his bag and taking his phone out.

Are you meeting N after your meeting? - Leo

Yeah. Do you need something from him? – Bean

No. Just, can you let me know as well if he is okay? – Leo

Sure. I’ll keep everyone posted on the group chat. – Bean

Thanks – Leo

Leo shut his phone and looked up to see that Hyuk was already on his desk and was passing notes to Ken. Hyuk had a stank face on but was still doing his work quietly, once in a while looking at his phone but soon after placing it back down. Leo didn’t even want to know who he was texting at the moment.

All he knew is that he needed to find out if it was his fault for N not coming to class.

~

School ended pretty fast for everyone that day. Leo felt that the day was faster today due to the silence that N used to fill in before. People were asking every single one of them as to where N was and when he would return, if he was sick or if he was just playing hooky.

Leo would just reply that he didn’t know, that N was someone that was quiet about his personal life. When he told the girls that excuse, they just laughed as if Leo was telling the funniest joke of his life.

“N is anything but reserved,” a girl named Hani told him. “He is the easiest book to read. Always so open-minded and nice to everyone.”

“True,” her friend Suzy stated. “N was the one that helped me out when I almost didn’t make it to the swim team. He even went out of his way to teach my how to swim the backstroke.”

“N would just like his privacy in this matter,” Leo lied. “I think he deserves this much.” The girls just stared at him for a while before agreeing with him and leaving him standing at the front entrance. Leo grimaced at the thought of knowing that all those girls were usually the ones that N would prefer to hang out with during lunch instead of them.

Leo made his way back home, music playing loudly from his earphones and fiddling with the phone on his hand. He was waiting for the update from Hongbin or at least from Ken. Yet no one was posting anything about the situation. Ravi was the last to post, asking if any had been able to get I contact with the other yet no one replied.

Leo stopped in the middle of the road, noticing that he was almost home, only two more blocks to go and he would arrive. Leo was afraid to know that he was the reason for N’s absence. He didn’t want to know that he was at fault for stating how he felt about the other.

“It’s not like I hate him,” Leo murmured to himself. He stopped again, this time completely annoyed that he was still thinking of the other. He scratched his head in frustration before looking up and checking his surroundings. It has almost been a year since his family moved to Seoul but he hadn’t been able to explore the town he lived in due to school and being the antisocial butterfly he was. He noticed a couple of stores and cafés were still open, people bustling around, shopping or finally getting out of work.

Leo took a glimpse around a notice a café that was being filled by students dressed in different uniforms. Leo decided to have a change of habit and made his way to the café. He stood behind a group of giggling girls that were wearing an expensive uniform.

“Hello, welcome to Starlight Café, may I take your order?” Asked a very familiar sultry voice, Leo almost got whiplashed with how fast he looked up from his phone. And he couldn’t believe his sight: right in front of him, smiling from ear to ear, was the very same person that everyone was worried about.

Leo took a picture of the other and posted it on the group chat.

I found him, guys – Leo

Leo didn’t even wait for a reply, instead he removed his earphone and placed it inside of his bag with his phone. He watched N as he waited for his turn: the fake smile was there again, this time a bit more obvious than before. He was attending each customer with so much care but the way that he was caring himself seemed almost uncaring. Leo was just two customers away from being able to order when Hakyeon made eye contact with him.

There was a subtle paused before he smiled at the girls in front of him and took their orders. Never once did his smile flatter when he spoke to the customer, always keeping things professional, even when two of the girls asked for his number. He rejected them with so much patience and politeness that the girls didn’t even get mad about being rejected.

When they moved to wait for their order, Leo moved to the counter and was met face to face with a very tired looking N.

“Hey,” Leo waved his hand at him before placing back awkwardly next to him. N looked at him for a while before he showed him a small smile.

“Hey,” N greeted as well. “Welcome to Starlight Café, may I take your order?”

“Coffee, black with three sugars,” Leo ordered.

“Okay. Anything else?” N input the order of the kiosk before looking at Leo again.

“That’s it. How much is it?”

“It’s okay, I got it,” N just said, handing his receipt. “Go ahead and sit down, I’ll bring it to you. N turned around and whispered to another worker before they both nodded. Leo sat down at a table next to one of the windows. He noticed that N was making all the coffee orders before placing them in trays and waiters taking them to the customer.

Leo waited for only a couple of minutes when a tray was placed in front of him. He looked up to see N standing there. N placed Leo’s coffee in front of him and also a piece of chocolate cake.

“I didn’t order this.”

“It’s on the house.” N smiled. Leo thanked him, noticing N’s strawberry frappe soon after. Leo took a bit of the cake and nodded, surprised at how good it tasted. N smiled at the reaction before clearing his throat. “So, what exactly brings you here?”

Leo looked up and noticed that N was still smiling but he seemed annoyed at the idea that Leo was there.

“I actually just came for coffee, you being here is a total surprise.” N nodded and took a sip of his own drink. Leo took another bit of cake before clearing his throat to get N’s attention again. “Hey, I wanted to ask you something, you don’t need to answer if you don’t want to, but I’m actually really curious.”

“Okay,” N warily answered.

“Why aren’t you skipping school? And why are you working here instead of being in class?” Leo asked. N looked at him for a split seconds before he nodded.

“I don’t wish to answer any of those questions,” N replied. “But the reason I’m skipping school is because I’m working and the reason I’m working is the same reason people that work do it, for money.”

“Why would a seventeen year old skip school just to work?” Leo asked him. “Can’t you do both at the same time? It’s not like you have to work to maintain yourself, you can always ask your parents to help you out.”

This time, Leo was faced with a completely dead look from the other. N was literally grabbing his drink so hard that the whip cream was slowly escaping from the open cover. N was looking at him like he has lost his mind before closing his eyes and holding his forehead with his left hand.

“You know,” N sighed, the migraine that he has from two days ago finally trying to kill him, “I really don’t have time for this. And I really don’t have to explain anything at all. I’m going back to work. Take your time to eat, when you’re done, please leave.” N stood up, grabbing his drink and picking up the tray. “Also,” N looked down at him, “tell the others that I’m fine and that the reason I haven’t been answering my phone is because it’s disconnected.”

N left Leo sitting there, multiple questions still in the tip of his tongue. N noticed that some of N’s coworkers were patting his back when he returned behind the counter. N just shook his head, whispered a couple of words and they just gave him a look of concern.

Leo only stayed they there until he finished the cake, he picked up his cup of coffee and got out of the café soon after. N noticed when the other left but decided to keep taking orders and ignore the thought that if Leo tells the group where he was, he was never going to hear the end of it. N looked up when a customer tapped the counter twice causing the other to immediately smile at them.

“Welcome to Starlight Café, may I take your order?”

~

Two days have passed and N had not gone back to school yet. N was still working fifteen hour shifts and making sure he wasn’t behind on school work at the end of the night. It was eleven at night now and instead of sleeping he was making sure that three of his essay were done and turned in.

His teachers were nice enough to respond to his emails at such hours, even telling him that he can turn in his projects when he returns back to school. Some, like Professor Kim, even asking him if he was okay and if he was eating properly.

N responded to all the emails and took four hours to be able to finish the projects that were due the next day on time. It struck two in the morning when he was finally done. He stretched out on his desk chair before looking at the time again. He only had four hours of sleep if he wanted to make it on time to work tomorrow.

He closed his laptop and books and placed them neatly on one side of his desk. He hadn’t even that day, only eating a chocolate bar that was given to him by one of his coworkers. He turned to grab his toiletries bag and his towel and made his way to the shower. He also grabbed his phone to be able to listen to some music as he took care of his needs.

He showered as fast as he could, hoping that he scrub well enough to smell clean the next day. Dressing up quickly, he started brushing his teeth when his phone vibrated. He looked down to see that it was the group chat that had stopped his music momentarily, thanks to the free Wi-Fi of the dorms, he could at least be able to use the internet.

He open the group chat and noticed that he had forty-two new messages in the main group chat, twelve that Hongbin sent separately. He read Hongbin’s messages first, asking about his whereabouts and if he was okay. N responded with a curt reply that yes he was okay and that he shouldn’t worry so much since this was something personal. The latter responded just seconds later asking why exactly he asked a leave of absence from school.

I explained everything to Ken after he came to my job asking for me and threatening my coworkers that he was going to burn the place down if he couldn’t talk to me. You can ask him everything. I’m too tired to explain the situation twice. – N

You haven’t been answering your phone for three days straight. I was going to call the cops. – Bean

Lol??? Please don’t. I’m doing fine. And it’s not like I’m not returning to school, you psycho. – N

Fight me. – Bean

Too tired. – N

Rest hyung. I’ll ask Ken what’s going on. – Bean

I love you – N

Disgusting – Bean

Hongbin. – N

…I love you too, hyung. Good night. – Bean

Good night, Bean. – N

N chuckled at Hongbin’s hard to get attitude before he opened the group chat. N was surprised to see that there was a picture of him in his work uniform, taking a customer’s order. He noticed that the sender was Leo.

“So he took the picture,” N clicked his tongue. He scrolled down to notice that everyone was asking him how he was able to find out where he worked. Leo’s responses were simple, saying it was by accident. Ken demanded the name of the café, spamming the group chat. Leo only sent a blurry picture of the café’s sign. N was even surprised that Ken was even able to decipher the picture and find him.

N scrolled down to see that both Ravi and Hyuk were saying that they shouldn’t bother him, that he needed personal space. N couldn’t have agreed more. After Ken’s little visit, forcing to tell him that the reason that he wasn’t going to school was because he was that he didn’t have enough money to pay for next semester’s dorm fees nor enough money to buy food for this month.

N closed his phone, choosing not to respond to the group chat. He threw his phone on his desk and flopped onto his bed. He curled into his blanket and hugged one of his pillows. He never noticed how tired he was until he always lay down on his bedroom for the day. He could feel his feet killing him.

“Just three more days,” N thought to himself. “Just three more days. Just three more,” he told him. He had to survive for those three days if he wanted to survive this semester. He closed his eyes, letting his tiredness consume him completely and allowing him to finally sleep.

~

The next day was hell. N was cursing the day that he decided to knock out with his hair still wet and the air con blasting pure artic air in his room. He was running a fever and his migraine was only getting worse, yet here is was, eight hours into his shift, still trying his best to keep smile and being friendly to even the worse customers.

“N, are you okay?” his coworker Minhyuk asked him. N turned to look at him, confused with the question.

“Hm,” N nodded. “Why’d you ask?” Hakyeon was helping the coffee line with the orders, since it was lunch time and they were completely packed.

“I don’t know, maybe because you’re about to put salt into the coffee for the eight time today,” Minhyuk was able to remove the coffee cup before any salt reached the cup. N looked at the salt shaker in his head before sighing.

“Why is this even here to begin with?” N hissed, placing it back in the kitchen area. Minhyuk located at N with pity and understanding. They have been friends since N had been in diapers, Minhyuk being the hyung that he knew all of N’s dirty secrets. He was always the shoulder N would lean on when he needed vent. He remember the first time N was stressed out, just like today: N’s mother had abandoned him and left to Japan to remarry, N was just fifteen back then, Minhyuk in his first year of college.

He remember how the police and CPS was stationed in front of N’s house, the boy standing with his head hung low and a crumbled letter in his hand. He was trying so hard not to cry in front of the officials. CPS was trying to make him enter the car to take him god knows where. Minhyuk was crossed about what he could do for the other.

It was pure instinct when he stood in front of the CPS agent that was about to forcefully make N enter the car, that he declared that he was N’s cousin and that he would take care of him. N started crying and hugged his back, tears staining the back of his shirt but the arms wrapped tightly around his waist was enough to let him know that what he was doing was the right thing.

Minhyuk looked at N trying to decorate a frappe but failing miserably. Minhyuk left out a sigh before he moved to grab N’s arms.

“What is it?” N asked him, turning to look to see that Minhyuk was even more concerned. The other moved his hands from N’s shoulders to his hand and pulled him to the storage room.

“Wonho, take care of the counter,” Minhyuk yelled before closing the door behind the both of them. He was still holding one of N’s hand when he turned around. N was looking at their clasped hand before moving to see Minhyuk. “Are you having money problems again?” Minhyuk went straight to the point.

“No,” N lied.

“You can’t even lie,” Minhyuk groaned. He placed a hand on N’s forehead and noticed that heat emitted from the other. “You have a damn fever and you came to work?”

“Yes.”

“You really are stupid, aren’t you?”

“No."

“Go home.”

“What? No!” N protested, but Minhyuk placed a finger on his mouth to shut him up.

“Go home, Cha Hakyeon,” Minhyuk commanded. “I’m not asking you. You will do as I say until you turn nineteen, understood?” Minhyuk stated, N knew that it wasn’t a question.

“I need to work.”

“Why? Are you having money problems?” N stayed silent. Minhyuk took that as a yes, tussling his hair in frustration. “You know, for being so damn childish you really act like a grown up better than me,” he said. N held his head low, looking at their feet. Minhyuk reached from his pant pocket, taking out his wallet and taking out all of his money. He counted it, making sure that he was giving him enough to last for two months. “Here.”

N looked up to see the money being shoved in his face. N grimaced at it and took a step back. “No. I refuse.”

“I’m not asking you if you want it. I’m telling you to take it,” Minhyuk hissed. He grabbed N’s hand and placed the money on his palm before moving away. “As your boss, I’m giving you a verbal warning, don’t come to work until you get better. And as you hyung, I’m giving you the money so that you don’t have to work for something stupid like money problems. I don’t ever want to see you working double shifts just because you can act cute around me for just a little spending money.” Minhyuk patted his head and that’s when he started noticing that N was silent.

“Hyung, I,” N couldn’t even complete a sentence without feeling like he was going to cry.

“Don’t cry,” Minhyuk warned. “Go home. Take a shower, dry your hair, and go to sleep. Eat something as well. I can’t believe a growing boy is skinner than a girl. Do as I tell you, okay?”

N nodded, swiping away the tears that were about to fall on his cheeks. “I will,” he agreed. Minhyuk hugged him for a while before patting his cheek.

“Go on,” was all he said before letting go of N. N stood there for a bit before looking down at the money in his hand. Minhyuk had given his five hundred on cash: enough to pay for food for the rest of this semester and even leaving a little bit of money for next semester’s dorm fee. N was really grateful that he had someone like Minhyuk that treated him like family and was even willing to give him everything without asking anything for return.

N promised that he would work in his dream job soon to be able to pay him back all his generosity. N took off his apron and placed the money in his pant pocket, moving to grab his things from his locker, saying goodbye to his coworkers, before going home, not forgetting to kiss his hyung goodbye.

~

His week of absence went by really fast, he decided to play hooky for the remaining of his leave of absence. He finally was able to sleep eight hours and was even able to finish his homework and projects before having to return to school on Monday. His grades were still high enough from his to be able to get a full scholarship. All he needed to do now is catch up to his art projects.

His migraine and fever went down the day before but he was still a little sick. He wore a face mask just in case he was catching a cold. When he arrived to school the first thing he did was made his way to the front office to turn in his paperwork. The principal and the desk clerk both greeted him warmly and finished to paperwork for his leave of absence. He bowed politely to both of them and made his room to the student council meeting.

“Hey guys,” N smiled at everyone when he entered. The whole group looked up and before N could register who was in the room, the group cheered his name and stood up to greet him. N let out a groan of pain when Hyuk and Hongbin jumped to hug him. Hyuk was asking him if he was okay, pointing out the mask on his face while Hongbin was making sure that the other was not having a fever. “Guys, I’m okay. Chill.”

“The hell you are,” Hyuk hissed. N karate chop his neck, the other groaned by the pain but still looked at N worriedly.

“Language, Hyuk,” N warned. “I’m fine. I only have a slight cold but apart from that everything is fine.”

“Are you back for good or did you come to apply for another leave?” Hongbin was holding his hand protectively, as if he was making sure that he didn’t leave. N gave a little squeeze to his hand before nodding.

“I’m back for good, so you guys can stop with all possessiveness, it’s getting weird,” N giggled before letting go of his hand. “Now then, what did I miss and what do we have to do next?” N asked them, moving to greet the rest of the council members. The meeting finished faster than usual, probably because Hongbin was able to keep everything on time as vice-president.

They were making their way back to class when N remember that the last time he spoke to Leo he fought with the other. More like, Leo told him to get lost and he kicked him out of his job site after being annoyed. N looked a Hyuk for a moment before grabbing his hand and clasping it tightly. Hyuk looked at him for a minute, his eyebrow raised lightly, as if asking him if he was okay.

“I feel tired,” N stated. “Let me hold your hand until I can sit on my desk.” Hyuk nodded and squeezed his hand: Hyuk was leading him to class and making sure that he was walking slow enough to make sure that N doesn’t get tired.

They were joking about everything and anything when they arrived to class. N greeted the teacher and smiled at his classmates that were welcoming him back. He greeted Ravi and Ken, making sure that the latter didn’t over exaggerate about him being back to school.

N noticed that Leo was staring at him but he made no attempt to greet him or even acknowledge him. He was going to try hard enough to give the other the space that he needed. He sat down on his seat and placed his headset on. He was doing his best of ignoring Leo and the other seemed to be okay with his actions so he did nothing.

It went by like that for a couple of days. Leo and N would still hang out with the rest of their friends, but they would not speak to each other unless it was necessary. Most of the time, they would be paired up during class experiments or group projects in art class, but the rest of the time, they would both hang out with different groups of people.

N would still hang out mostly with the girls of his class. They would talk about the guys that the girls were interested in, their favorite celebrities, and even gossip about boys in their class. N was never bothered by any of the talks that they had, he even gave the girls tips and information about the boys that they liked.

“You really are like an unnie,” Hyuna stated one day. “You’re so cute and gentle. Even more so than me.”

“Thanks?” N didn’t know how to react to the comment.

“You know, it’s a shame that you’re gay,” Hyuna continued talking. N looked at her for a brief moment before laughing and hiding his smile behind his hand.

“What is that even supposed to mean?”

“I would date you,” Hyuna confessed. “You really are my type. Cute, tan, and sexy.”

“I wouldn’t date you even if you asked me, though,” N joked, Hyuna scrunched up her nose in disbelief before pouting. N noticed that she was currently staring the youngest in his group with so much fondness. “You’re really pretty but I think you liking Hyuk is the part where I lose interest.”

“Me liking Hyuk has nothing to do with you being such a girl,” Hyuna looked at him again. “I’m really curious about something.”

“What is it this time?” N asked her, bemused at the others attitude.

“How did you know you were gay?” Hyuna asked him. N’s eyebrow raised slightly at the question. Hyuna was always curious about everything N did but this was new. She never questioned his sexuality.

“Why do you want to know?”

“I think I’m bisexual,” Hyuna confessed. “But I get even more confused because every time I see Hyuk, my heart beats faster and faster.” N smiled at the straightforwardness of the girl. He always admired that of her, she was never afraid of being herself in front of others.

“That just means that you really like Hyuk,” N stated. Hyuna gave him a ‘no shit, Sherlock,’ look before he continued to explain. “I had a crush on someone really close to me. It was like that for a couple of years before I found out that he was dating someone already. After that, I only had one serious relationship until they broke up with me.”

“Damn,” Hyuna pouted. “Did I know that person?” N looked at where Ravi and Ken were sitting before shaking his head.

“Not you, but Ravi and Ken know that person.”

“I’m so going to ask them.”

“They wouldn’t tell you.”

“Damn male loyalty,” Hyuna clicked her tongue. N laughed at that, this time not hiding his smile. He laughed loud enough for people to turn to look at them for a brief moment. One of those said people being Leo, who only looked at N and Hyuna being so closed to each other.

Hyuna was really pretty, Leo found out that she was actually really popular and that she was part of the cheer squad. He really didn’t understand how N could be friends with so many different kinds of people. But there he was, taking and laughing with one of the popular kids, Hyuna at that.

Leo was still staring at the way N was still smiling at Hyuna when he noticed that the latter was staring at him. Hyuna made eye contact with him for a bit before a smile of recognition appeared on her face, before she stood up and turned to look at N. Leo noticed that the action was not something N was expecting, because he was looking up at Hyuna in surprise.

Leo wasn’t able to hear what Hyuna said but whatever it was made N’s cheeks turn pink. The next action made Leo almost stand up in complete shock. Hyuna grabbed N’s chin and lifted it up higher but moving to kiss him straight on the lips.

N’s eyes turned wide, frozen in place as Hyuna kissed him before she moved away and smiled at him. She said something to N again and whatever she said made both of them turn to look at Leo, one with a look of mischief and the other with a look of disbelief.

Leo stared at N, noticing that the other wasn’t blinking at all before N turned to look at Hyuna and say something to the other. Hyuna rolled her eyes before waving N goodbye and ignoring the stares of students from the class. She made her way to Leo, standing his arm length from him before she spoke.

“If you like someone, you should really do something about it instead of glaring,” she said before moving to leave. Leo noticed that Hyuna’s face was also a dark shade of pink but chose to ignore it. He turned to look at Ken and Ravi, who both were also shocked into place.

Instead of any of them saying anything, Hongbin was the one that reacted and yelled from across the room to N. “The hell was that?”

N looked at the group who in return were staring at him. N just shook his head before deciding how to explain such a weird action from Hyuna. “She said it was payback…for rejecting her,” N said. They all just looked at him like he had lost his head.

“Well, noona had always been weird like that,” Hyuk stated, looking completely unfazed with what happened.

“I don’t think you have a right to say that,” N stated. “She likes you. She’s been dropping hints at your face and you haven’t reacted to any of them.” Hyuk stayed quiet at that. Everyone stayed quiet at that.

No one spoke of that day.

~

It was the first semester of their fourth year of high school when Leo finally understood what Hyuna meant with that comment. Chosen as the team’s vice-captain for that semester, he had been practicing with the soccer team for the last season that he was going to participate in. They stayed until seven in the afternoon that sunny Saturday, making sure that everyone knew the game strategy when the coach finally decided that it was time to end practice.

Leo was in a hurry to just grab his things from his locker and go home. He waved goodbye to everyone and made his way to the front of the school trying to decide if he should stop to eat somewhere or if he should just eat instant noodles at home.

He was contemplating what he should to when he noticed someone familiar walking towards the school. He squinted his eyes to notice that it was Hongbin, Ken, and Ravi walking next to each other. They were wearing casual clothes and carrying shopping bags as they talked amongst each other.

Ken was the first to notice him when they were just a couple of meters away. He waved his arm around and yelled from across the road. Leo just sighed and waved back. He walked towards them and was greeted by all of them.

“Did you just get out of practice? This late?” Ken asked him.

“Yeah,” Leo answered. “We’re practicing for the first game of the season. What about you guys? Why are you coming this way?”

“Oh, we are going to visit N at the dorms,” Ken answered and both Ravi and Hongbin nodded.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?” Hongbin was the one that spoke up. “We’re going because N invited us. Where you not heading there as well?”

“What? No, I was going home,” Leo shook his head. “I don’t remember being invited to N’s dorm,” he added, feeling a little disappointed that he wasn’t invited by N.

“What do you mean you don’t remember?” Ravi asked. “N invited you three times and even sent the invite through the group chat.” Ravi picked up his phone and show him the screen with a group chat open. Written there, in bold letters, what the invitation to N’s dorm to hang out and watch movies.

Leo was confused as to why he felt relieved that N did include him. He had been confused for a while now, thinking about what N would think of him or if he was even thinking about him at all. It was still a little awkward between the both of them. Leo apologized for the things he said at the beginning of this semester.

N accepted his apology with a smile and said he understood that sometimes he was a bit of a show off and gets clingy easily but that he would do his best to make their friendship comfortable. After that, Leo was careful of the way he acted around N, making sure that the other was always included in all of the group conversation.

He made sure to leave enough personal space between the two of them whenever they had to sit next to each other. One thing that Leo was sure about, is that he was paying attention to everything N said or did. N also was doing the same for him, giving his space when he wanted it and being there for him when he didn’t want to be alone.

Leo was able to notice that the only time N was not showing a fake smile was when he was around the group. N was always so childish with them and sometimes even acted like a parent towards to younger ones.

He remember when N apologized on behalf of Hyuk and Ravi when they got in trouble on the mall for spilling coke on a hundred dollar dress. N was being reprimanded on behalf of them both, not once allowing the shop clerk to speak again to Hyuk or Ravi. He even bought the dress at the end to make sure that the clerk didn’t take to fault for anything. Leo felt proud at that moment to be his friend.

“So are you going or nah?” Ken broke his train of thought. Leo looked down at the way he was dressed. Sloppy would be the perfect way to describe it.

“I need to change,” Leo stated after being able to smelled sweat and dirt on his uniform.

“You can take a shower at N’s dorm. I’m pretty he wouldn’t have a problem with that,” Ravi stated.

“Let’s go,” Hongbin added. “Hyuk told me he already arrived and that the pizza he bought is getting cold.” After hearing that, Ken grabbed Leo’s wrist and pulled him towards the direction of the dorms.

“Come on,” Ken smiled at him. “N’s waiting for us and you can’t say no to free food."

Leo followed them, staying behind to group and looking at the group chat where N sent the message. He couldn’t decipher how exactly he skipped through the invitation and be in this predicament. He looked up to notice that they were almost there. The dorms weren’t far away from the school but still were a bit away. Hongbin was the first to reach the building and opened the front door for everyone.

Ken was talking to Ravi about their art project and how he spilled milk on it by accident when he was eating cereal. Ravi was just laughing and listening, not once stopped the other from talking. They made their way towards the elevator and Hongbin pressed the fourth floor.

“I meant to ask,” Leo voiced. “Was I supposed to bring anything?” He pointed to the bags that they were carrying and they all laughed at the question.

“This is your first time coming to N’s dorm so you don’t need to worry about anything like that,” Ken shook his head. “We usually just bring food we want to eat and hang out at N’s place. N allows to do anything that we can’t do at home, like play video games for hours or eat junk food for all meals.”

“That sounds so unhealthy,” Leo stated. “I’m surprised you guys don’t gain weight.”

“We work out,” Ravi added. “N forces us to do so.” The elevator opened before Leo could ask about that and they made their way to the door closest to the elevator. Hongbin knocked twice before they heard someone yell, ‘Coming!’

Leo stood next to Hongbin facing the door, making him the first one to see N when he opened the door. Leo first noticed that loose sweatshirt that N was wearing. It was a black Super Junior shirt that was too big on his frame, making him look small and soft. The second thing he noticed was that N’s hair was parted just a bit from his face and Leo was looking at N’s forehead for the first time. The second thing he noticed was that N was really pretty when in casual clothing.

But he didn’t understand why he would think that the other was pretty.

“Hey,” N greeted, opening the door completely to allow them to enter. “You guys are late. Hyuk and I already finished on box of pizza.”

“That was fast,” Ken said, pushing through and removing his shoes before entering the room. The rest did the same as well before making their way to the center of the room. Leo noticed that the room was actually pretty big for a dorm.

He looked around and Leo noticed a bunch of posters of singers and bands. Some posters were even from famous opera singers and pianists. Leo was amazed that N was interested in that type of music.

“Make yourself at home. We’re watching anime that Hyuk is choosing. He got grounded at home for getting a ten out of hundred in his English exam so they won’t let him watch TV.”

“That’s cool. I just don’t want to watch One Piece reruns,” Hongbin sat down next to the other and opened one of the pizza boxes, showing a whole slice into his mouth. He picked up the bag that he was carrying and passed it to N. “Mom made you side dishes and I brought your fav, banana milk.”

“Hongbin, let’s get married,” N joked, the other rolled his eyes but smiled at the comment. “Such a great boyfriend material you are.” N made his way to the small fridge and opened it, sitting in front of it crossed legged.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just put them on the fridge.”

“I just brought junk food,” Ken said, sitting on N’s bed and Ravi lying down next to him, hugging a pillow to himself. “And Ravi brought you spicy noodles.”

“Thanks, guys,” N took the bag and took out the junk food and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. “Stuff yourselves.”

Leo looked at them all just grabbing food and talking about nothing for a bit before Ken side glanced him and turning to hug N to get his attention. “Leo needs to take a shower, hyung.”

N turned to look at him and noticed the uniform. He nodded and stood up, making his way to his closet and taking out a clean towel. He motioned for Leo to follow him to the bathroom. Leo did so and entered behind the other. The bathroom was big enough for one person, so it was a little claustrophobic for them both.

“Use this towel. If you need shampoo and body wash, you can use mine, okay?” N smiled at him when Leo nodded and thanked him. “Take your time.”

“Hey,” Leo called for him before he closed the door. “I’m sorry to ask for this but you think you can lend me some clean underwear, I don’t have a spare.” N nodded and open his closet again, he took out a clean underwear and some shorts and a shirt that belonged to Minhyuk, too big on him.

“Hear, you can use these as well. Just make sure to return the shirt whenever you have time since it isn’t mine.” Leo thanked him again but felt a pang of jealousy to know that N had another man’s shirt in his dorm. N closed the door behind him and Leo just groan in annoyance to know that he felt such a way for something that shouldn’t matter to him.

He took a shower as fast as he could, using all of N’s toiletries since he didn’t bring his own. Leo noticed that N’s shampoo was the same that his sisters used, strawberry scented. He cleaned himself out and wore the clothes that was given to him. Leo noticed that the clothes fit him perfectly normal. His frame being the same as to whoever this shirt belonged to.

He placed his dirty uniform on his bag and came out of the shower, towel around his neck. No one paid attention to him, all in their little world, either watching the TV or making conversation. The first to see him was N, who waved him to sit next to him on the bed.

“Better?” He asked him and Leo nodded.

“Better.”

“Good. Here,” N placed a paper plate filled with pizza slices and chips on his lap. “They were about to finish the food so I saved you some.”

“Thanks,” Leo grabbed a slice and took a big bite before looking at N. N was barely watching the anime playing on the screen, he looked sleepy and was humming to himself. Leo kept glancing at between N and the TV. Hyuk and Hongbin were watching the TV, sometimes giving live commentary on what they think is going to happen on the next episode. Ravi and Ken were both on their phones playing a game against each other.

He looked back at N after a while to notice that the other was falling asleep, nodding off back and forth. Leo grabbed his head when he noticed that it was going to land on Ravi’s butt. He moved N so that his head was placed on his shoulder and turn to finish his food.

N was a silent sleeper, he made no noise or even moved around. Leo was surprised that the only movement N made was to grab onto his hand in his sleep. Leo didn’t know what to do. He felt like removing his hand from the grip of the other but at the same time he felt as ease to know that N was able to let his walls down around him.

He put pressure on their grip, holding him close and lying his head on N’s perched one on his shoulder. He was tired as well: sometimes practice was a bit too much so he always knocked out at home whenever he arrived. He closed his eyes, thinking to himself to take a small nap before going home.

A nap turned out to be a four hour siesta. He felt complete refreshed but so out of it when he noticed that all the lights except for the warmth rays of a desk lamp were off. He took his surrounding and remember that he was not at home.

He was about to stand up to look for his friends when he felt a weight on his chest. He looked down and turned completely red when he noticed who it was.

N was hugging him tightly even on his sleep. Leo tried to remove him forcefully but wasn’t able to do anything at all. Instead of loosening the grip N had on him, he had made the other’s grip get tighter. Leo sighed and just looked up at the unknown ceiling: he felt uncomfortable but it wasn’t because N was in his personal space.

But it was because it was N that was in his personal space.

Leo closed his eyes, ignoring the warmth that was radiating from the other. He could hear his heart resonating on his ears and as time passed by he thought that he might be suffering for cardiac arrest soon.

A small groan that left N’s mouth made him jump on place. He slowly turned to look at the other: he was met with a snuggled up N, cheek squeezed onto his arm and hands gripping to his shirt with brute force.

“Cute,” Leo whispered. When he realized what he said, his face turned completely red and hid himself behind his hand. He heard a clatter coming from the front door and saw someone enter the room. His first instinct was that it was an intruder and he was about to stand up and tackle whoever it was but a soft, “Hakyeon-ah,” made him pause.

The lights turned on and he made eye contact with a man. The guy removed the baseball cap he was wearing and Leo’s first thought was that the man was handsome. The other stared at him for a brief moment before a glared appeared on his face.

“What the hell?” the guy barked, the high pitch from his voice made N jump up.

“I’m up!” he yelled in return. He looked up at Leo, who was completely red in the face before turning to see what Leo was looking at. He turned around, still half asleep to notice a very pissed off Minhyuk staring him down. “Hyung?” N croaked out, still trying to process what is going on.

“Explain yourself before I end up busting someone’s jaw open,” Minhyuk warned, pointing with the baseball cap towards Leo. “What is he doing on your bed in the middle of the night, Cha Hakyeon?” he hissed.

It took a moment for N to realize that his friends were gone and that Leo was sitting on his bed. He looked at the clock on his desk and noticed that it was twelve in the morning. When he looked at Leo again, he realized that they both had slept through their hangout…in his bed.

“It’s not what it looks like!” He raised a hand defensively at Minhyuk who had placed his hat back on his head. “We just slept. I mean…not like that. Oh god, stop looking at me like that.”

“Kid, you have ten seconds to get off that bed,” Minhyuk warned Leo, who obeyed soon after.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I just…um…”

“Just get off,” Minhyuk demanded.

“Yes sir.”

“Hyung, it’s not what it looks like, I swear.” N whined. Minhyuk walked towards him and sat right next to him before looking at Leo. “Hyung?”

“Why is he wearing your clothes?”

“Practice…soccer practice.”

“So you lend him my shirt and your shorts?”

“Yes.”

“In your class?”

“Yes.”

“…what’s your name?” Minhyuk asked Leo this time.

“Leo, uh, Jung Taekwoon, sir,” Leo responded.

“You have horrible taste in men,” Minhyuk leaned over to whisper this statement into N’s ear. The other blushed and pushed the other away.

“It’s not like that,” N said.

“Right,” Minhyuk scoffed. Leo kept looking at the close proximity between the both of them and he felt annoyed by the way that the guy was touching N. He said nothing but stare…or maybe it was glaring because the guy raised an eyebrow at him. “So, do you live on the dorms or do you live with your parents?”

“With my parents.”

“Do you live far away?”

“About half an hour is I go walking…ten by car.”

“Hm. Well then, I guess we all are going to have to stay here for the night,” Minhyuk stated, throwing himself into N’s lap.

“Why you, though?” N removed the baseball cap and caressed his hair, Leo’s glared got worse.

“I had a bad day,” Minhyuk confessed. “I got into a petty fight with my boyfriend and now I’m suffering the consequences. So now, I’m going to stay here until I manage to get that bastard to apologize before I do.”

N just scoffed but moved him to the other side of the bed. “You and Leo can sleep here. I’m go get another mattress from another room and I’ll be back.” N stood up from the bed when Minhyuk waved him away and moved around Leo. He placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. “Call your parents and tell them you’re staying the night,” N stated.

Leo just looked at him leave the room and nodded to himself. He got his phone and texted his mother, noticing the multiple missed calls first, that he was going to stay the night at his friend’s house.

He looked at Minhyuk on the bed and turned to the front door to notice that N was bringing in a mattress.

“Are you allowed to steal mattresses like that?” Leo helped him carry it in.

“There’s only a certain amount of kids that stay on the dorm, so yeah, maybe,” N joked. He closed the door with his foot and dropped the mattress next to his bed. “So you can sleep with hyung and I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“Um…I’ll sleep on the floor,” Leo glanced at Minhyuk.

“You can just sleep with me then,” N said. “Don’t worry, I don’t do weird things on my sleep.”

“…okay,” Leo nodded and lied down on the mattress. He moved to a side and allowed for N to also lie down. N pulled the extra cover over them and left his head hit the pillow that he forcefully removed from under Minhyuk.

“Good night, Leo-ah,” N yawn.

“Good night,” Leo responded.

Leo wasn’t able to sleep that night.

~

Leo found out by the third month into his last year of high school that what he felt for N was actually love. Or admiration. He was still in denial.

He found out by accident.

He was walking home when he saw N talking to a couple of girls from a different school. He was standing there, complete lost in what he was supposed to do. Leo didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I was rare to see N be so flustered around people.

N was once again wearing casual clothes: This time he was wearing a loose button down shirt that Leo was hundred percent sure wasn’t his.

“Um, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I follow what exactly is going on at the moment,” N smiled politely at the girls. One of them, the tallest of them all looked at him before sighing.

“What I’m saying is that my friend likes you and she wants to ask you out, what’s so hard to understand about that,” she mocked.

“But how does your friend even know me? You’re from a different school…a school two districts away at that.”

“Look, just accept the offer,” he girl commanded. “It’s not like you’re going to find someone prettier than her. I mean Seolhyun is famous at our school for being the prettiest girl.”

“As much as I appreciate that she likes me,” N answered, “I’m going to have to apologize and reject your feelings, miss.” N bowed at her. “I don’t know how you know me but I really am sorry. I don’t feel the same way that you do.”

“It’s okay,” the girl shyly waved her hands in front of herself. “I just wanted to be able to confess before I move farther away and never see you again.”

“I’m sorry,” N bowed at them. The tall girl scoffed in disbelief but she pushed him away.

“What a freaking loser,” she said to her friends, all but Seolhyun laughed. “Let’s go. I told you not to waste your breath with such guys.” The girl led the others away and N was once again standing alone. He watched them leave before he let a sigh of relief and started turning to go back home. N looked up to see Leo standing there, just staring at him.

“What’s this? Were you eavesdropping?” N teased him.

“What? No.”

“It doesn’t matter,” N stated. “If you watch or you don’t.”

Leo nodded before walking to stand in front of the other.

“Did you get confessed to?”

“Uh…yeah,” N scratched his cheek in embarrassment. “I rejected her though.”

“Why? She was pretty.”

“Then why don’t you ask her out,” N mocked.

“No need to get your panties in a bunch,” Leo answered back. N glared at him before deciding that it was a waste of time to fight with the other.

“It doesn’t matter if she’s pretty, she isn’t my type,” N started walking back to his dorm. Leo followed suit.

“What’s your type then?” Leo was actually curious of his answer. N stayed quiet, debating whether he should be honest with that question or just ignore it.

“I like…men,” N answered after concluding that Leo was going to find out sooner or later. Might as well get over it.

“What?” Leo stopped in his tracks.

“I said I like men,” N repeated. “I like men. That’s why I can’t go out with her, okay?”

Leo stayed quiet for a very long time, N stopped looking at his direction as well. They walked in silence. Leo was surprised to know that N was gay. Something about the boy screamed feminine but the way that he carried himself was definitely not. He glanced at N and noticed that the boy looked grim.

“So you like men,” Leo stated. N just laughed before biting down on his lip.

“Pretty much,” N stated.

Leo nodded in understanding and continued walking with N, forgetting that he was going back home in the process. He kept stealing glances of the other and noticed that N was still not looking at him. He took the moment to check him out.

N was always well dressed on weekends when there was no school or after club activities, Leo noticed as much. He also noticed that N liked dressing mostly in dark colors, just like him. Or that he preferred to wear jeans over shorts in a hot day.

Leo noticed as well that N uses make up once in a while, mostly when he goes out at night to hang out with them. Heck, there was a day that they went to karaoke bar and a guy mistook him for a girl with tomboyish looks. Or maybe he didn’t, Leo thought it through now. Maybe he was flirting with N with the full knowledge that it was a man.

This aggravated Leo more.

“Leo-ah,” N spoke up to get his attention. Leo looked at him when N touched his arm.

“What is it?” Leo asked.

“You’re not disappointed, right?”

“About?”

“That I’m gay.”

“Why would I be disappointed?” Leo questioned. “It doesn’t matter whom you like, as long as you like them with all your heart.” The smile that Leo saw in N was probably the shiniest smile that the other could have seen on him. The smile alone made Leo blush and the beating of his heart increased again.

“That’s a relief,” N said. “For a minute I thought I was losing you as a friend. And we all know that it would be a shame not to be friends with the popular kids.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Leo, VP of the soccer team and ladies’ man.”

“I’m not a ladies’ man,” Leo defended.

“That’s not what the rumors say,” N teased. “But now that I think about it, what’s your type, Leo?”

“My type?”

“Hm. What type of person do you usually date? The cute type?”

“What? I never thought about it.”

“If you ask me,” N pointed out, “you look like the type of man that dates the sexy type.”

“That’s not true!”

“Oh, defensive are we?” N dodged the fist that went flying towards his arm with a swift bow. Leo was blushing due to his teasing and N was not going to lie, Leo looked cute when he was embarrassed. “But seriously, what’s your type?” N stopped in front of the dorm building and turned around to get the answer.

Leo thought about it for a minute, thinking about the previous girlfriends that he had and their personalities. All that he could remember is that they were all shorter than him and could only be described as cute. But he had no right to say that was his type, since he would break up with them within a month: two days if he was talking about the girl from Busan.

He looked down to stare at N’s face and noticed something he had never noticed before. N’s face was the closest to his ideal type. Small, thick lips, almond eyes, and soft skin. He was also shorter than him, petite for a guy of his age, and his body was slim but thick in all the right places.

Also, N’s personality wasn’t what he expected it to be. N was hardworking and loyal. He was honest with his feelings and respected everyone around him and their ideals. He was also very mature for his age but still acted like a spoiled child when he was around his friends.

Leo contemplated for a brief moment before realizing what he just thought.

N was his ideal type not because of his physical appearance.

N was his ideal type because he only longed for him.

Leo blushed and hid his face behind his hands before looking at N again.

“What is it?” N asked.

“My ideal type…”

“Yeah?”

“My ideal type is.”

“Come on, spit it out already.” N grabbed his shoulders to shake him around. Leo stayed quiet before grabbing N’s hand and holding them in his own.

“My ideal type is you,” Leo confessed. N became stiff under Leo’s touch, his eyes bulging out of their socket, neck and face turning red at the sudden confession. Leo was the first to let go, his hand went flying to the back of his neck, scratching it out of embarrassment. “I like you, okay?”

N looked at his hands, still in shock and was not able to say anything to the confession from the other. He looked at him from a brief moment before turning to look at the dorm building. “I…I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Leo stopped him. “You really don’t have to say anything. I’ll just leave and you, um, go inside…uh…and think about it.”

“Think about it?” N was even redder now.

“Yes?”

“Eh?”

“Oh god,” Leo whispered. They were both blushing hard and trying not to make eye contact. Leo checked N out again and could not believe himself when he thought that the other looked really cute when he was blushing.

He still didn’t know why he did it, but he grabbed the back of N’s head and kissed him.

It was innocent, pure, and soft.

It was everything that Leo thought it was going to be.

Leo was the first to move away. When he opened his eyes, N’s were still closed. Leo wanted to kiss him again, just to make sure that the feeling was still the same. Yet, he decided to let N go and give him space. After all, N just confessed he was gay, and while Leo had never dated a man before, he just confessed he was whipped for the other.

“I got to go,” Leo whispered. “Please think about what I said and give me your answer when you’re ready.” Leo patted N’s head and turning around and running all the way home. When he got home, he was able to lie to his mother that his heated face was due to running all the way from school.

It was harder to hide it from his sisters, the shrews.

~

N never actually answered him what his ideal type was but when two months passed and the awkward glance and touches turned to straight flirting, N confessed that he also liked the other. Leo was beyond ecstatic when the other agreed to start dating. It was a little hard at first, since Leo never dated another man and kept treating N like a girl.

“You know, I don’t really mind the flowers and all that but…you do know that you don’t have to be so polite, right?” N cornered him once to state the obvious. “I’m a guy, just like you, so you acting shy and everything around me doesn’t really suit you.”

“I know,” Leo agreed, “but I’m afraid that if I go overboard you might not like it.”

“Well,” N got closer, “I know all your dirty habits, so you don’t have to worry that I’ll run away. After all, we are friends before lovers.”

Leo smiled at that and pulled N into a hug. He placed his head above the latter’s and placed a kiss on his hair. He really liked how N acted around him: he was mature during any quarrels that they had, but was shy and cute when they were talking about nothing and just enjoying each other’s company.

“I love you,” Leo confessed. N pulled himself from the other’s chest and looked up to see Leo. His cheeks were tainted pink at the sudden statement. “I really do love you.”

N smiled at him before kissing him. When they separated, N hugged the other again, placing his head on the sturdy chest.

“I love you, too.”

~

Graduation came soon after: you graduated top of class with a full scholarship to your chosen university. I didn’t really have a plan but following you to the same university was the only thing that I could think of.

I received a scholarship for soccer but I really didn’t see myself as a soccer player for the rest of my life, so when you voiced that I should study music with you, I didn’t really hesitate. I only took me one semester of classes to realize that I really did enjoy music more than any other hobby.

We both worked hard during our student life, so it came to no surprise that during your freshman year of college, you were street casted by an entertainment company. You were so excited to the point that when the company called you in to sign the contract you came home and kissed me like there was no tomorrow.

What did take me by surprise was that you got me an audition to the same company and soon after I was also signing the same contract to the same company. We were known as the diamond couple: casted by the president of the company himself and talented in all aspects.

And that’s how we lived our life we each other: we worked hard, we moved in with each other (lying that it would save the company money if we did), we dated in secret, we kissed in public places to establish our relationship to people trying to flirt with you, and we even got to work with each other in different projects.

You were always the same, never once did your demeanor change. You were always smiling and taking care of me. You made sure that I wouldn’t miss my meals and even made sure that I didn’t try to kill anyone when I wasn’t in the best of moods.

Throughout the years with you, I came to realize how much I loved you and how much I’m going to continue to love you. I realized how important you were to me and how much I needed you in my life.

Like finding a missing piece of my heart.

Finally complete.

////////////////

N was reading through the script for the fifth time, still having trouble memorizing certain lines. I was new that he wasn’t able to memorize something as fast as possible. He blamed the script, or to be precise, he blamed the story line and the theme of the script.

He was casted to be the one of the male leads in a musical but the script hit a little home: it was based on the life of a gay person that was caught in the dilemma of telling his family that he was gay. The romance was extra. He never thought that it was going to be possible to get such a role in his life but the fear that he would screw it up for the gay community and make a fool out of himself on stage was putting enough pressure to make him forget his lines.

He looked at the clock and noticed that it was time to meet up with Leo. He grab the script and his pencil case and shoved it all into the bag that he brought. He grabbed the empty cup of coffee and threw it on the bin before turning the lights off and walking towards the main lobby.

People were greeting him as he made his way down, some he knew and some were new faces. The young artists knew him as a dancer and a singer, so maybe they didn’t know that he also acted and that’s why they looked confused as to why he was there.

When he finally reached the main lobby, Leo was already there, standing near the elevators and holding a fresh cup of coffee. N shook his head in disbelief and moved towards the other. Leo saw him and waved him over, N greeting him as well before taking the cup away.

“If you drink too much coffee, your health is going to deteriorate.”

“If it does, would you take care of me?” Leo grabbed the cup back and threw it on the bin, following N’s advice. He placed his arm around the other, ignoring the looks of the people passing by or the admiring looks of some trainees.

“I probably would.”

“Probably?”

“If you become too much of a burden, I’ll probably cheat on you.”

“Yah!” Leo pinched N’s cheek making the other apologize. “You can’t cheat. You are mine and only mine. Just like I’m only yours.”

“You’ve become cheesier with age.”

“That’s because I love you,” Leo stated. N checked him out at that moment, just taking in how the other looked and the way that he acted throughout the years of dating.

He remembered every single thing they did together, he remember the fights, the kisses, the hugs in the middle of the nights, or the passionate nights that kept both of them awake throughout the night.

He also remembers the way Leo treats kids and animals. The passion that he has to protect other and the way that he take care of him. Leo really was a manly man on the outside but a big softie on the inside and only his closest friends and family knew about that.

And now N was able to see all of that face front.

“What is it? You’ve been staring for a while?” Leo smiled at him.

What’s your type?

N smiled and kissed the other full force. No care that everyone in the lobby was staring at them now. Leo, also not caring, grabbed the other and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss before N moved away for air.

“You,” N finally answered.

“Me?” Leo confusedly asked.

“You’re my ideal type,” N explained but letting go and running away from the other.

Leo, when he finally understood what the other said, ran behind him, smiles more radiant than the sun in both of their faces.

They were in love.

And they were happy.

//////////////////////////////  
VIXX, and their affiliates, Jellyfish Entertainment, do not belong to me. They are an entity of their own.  
The story format belongs to me.


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